BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1900, 3 July 1890, Page 30

BANK NOTES.

POAOHINa DOBINO SPAWNING.- JOOICSOOTT, —Sir : I think this is a good time for making a few remarks on this subject. I have noticed the trout coming up to Bpawn in our little streams, and I would like to ask some of my angling brothers who live close to the banks of euoh rivers to keep a watch and prevent poaching as much as possible, aB they are aware as well as I am that by doing bo they would give practical assistance to the stocking of our waters with fish— more,- indeed, than iB imagined by thooe who live in town and out-of-the-way places. I for one know well that poaching at this time of the year is carriod on to a shameful extent, and thousands of fish are annually destroyed in thin disgraceful manner, causing more empty baskets in the proper season than all the shags in the country. More than one respectable farmer on a river bank has told me that they would and could bring some of these kind of people before the court yearly if they were paid a fair amount for their trouble. I think for one that it would be a splendid way of stopping poaching if we could get such people to take an interest in this way, and hand over to them the fines in* flicted in such cap.es, lam sure there are many farmers who reside on our rivers who would do this to save the trout if it were made worth their while to do so ; and well spent money it would be to spend a fair amount to residents to keep an eye on unlawfuljpoachiug. People living on the banks of rivers have a much better chance of seeing what is going on than rangers having a periodical look round. If rangers were only made aware of the names of those whom it is advisable to keep a watch on it would do a lot of good. lam certain there are many people who would do this privately if wa took the trouble of asking them. Trusting these remarks will meet with favourable consideration.—l am, &0., Angi/EB. June 27. North Otago.— The Timeß of the 27th ult. sayß ;— Several members of the Acclimatisation Society visited the new races in the grounds of the aooiety yesterday, and turned off the water for the purpose of examining the salmon recently put in. They were much pleased to find the fish hid improved very much in condition in the short time they had been there, and that several of them cave indications of spawning. The society have also received a number of trout ova from the Hakateramea, which have been placed in the hatching house ; also, eight young fish from the Waitaki, which have been pronounced by persona with a knowledge of the Bubjeot to be veritable salmon parr. These fob. are in a race by themselves, bo that their development can be watched. *"?« Clinton. —The ova harvest has already started in the Clinton district. Ranker Burt, assisted by his son, baa taken over 50,000 out of the Kuriwao river, and aB no ova was taken in that district laßt year before the 7th July it seems the present season ib likely to be a very early one. On the 26fch the ranger caught on one rid three fish, one male and two females, and none of them would be under 201b in weight. He declares that wherever the fißh come from he never saw such fine* specimens, and the Clinton anglers can soarcely believe their own eyes. Do Fishes Feei» the Cold ?— There is no doubt that fish, particularly many of those which inhabit fresh water, feel the cold, and that this accounts for their moving in the winter to deep water, when they have the opportunity of doing bo. Some fish are much more affected than others by severe oold. Swainson mentions an instance of a number of fine tench having been found dead in a pond, after the break up of a frost ; and, as a proof of vitality in other fisb, he states that, in northern latitudes, eels and perch have retained their vitality when froznn into solid blocks of ice, and that advantage has been taken of the fact to remove them from one looality to another. Snakes and Fish. —A friend of mine, while fishing in Spain last year, observed many snakes in the vicinity of the river. They lay basking in the sun on stones and warm spots near the river, and when disturbed at once plunged into the water and disappeared. One day, when wading in shallow water, he saw a snake swimming towards him with something in its mouth. The snake did not observe him and he had time to tell bis boy to give him a big stove before the snake came close to him. He observed that the fißh, which lay across tho snake's mouth, with a small trout, and that the reptile waa about a foot in length, and marked liked an English viper. He daßhed the stone upon him, but when tho muddy water cleared off nothing remained but some Btaina of blood, whether from the fisb or snake he could not tell. Is it a fact well known that snakes eat fisb? The natives say that these Bnakea live upon fish. I observe that Sir Joseph Fayrer, in bis article on the "Venomous Snakes of India," in the Nin°teenth| Century for Deoomber last, states the curious fact that Bait water snakes are all venomous, whilst fresh water snakes are innooent ; a circumstance which fishermen abroad may be glad to be assured of. — W. UII.L James, Lieutenant colonel (Hotel dcs Princess, Biarritz).— Field. Poisonous Fi-h. — The raw flesh of somo varieties of edible fish contains a poisonous substance, which is, however, completely destroyed by cooking, The Swiftest Fish.— For short distances the palmon is undoubtedly the flwifteet of fisb. It has been calculated that itn speed at high pressure is from 20 to 25 miles an hour, For long and sustained exertion the shark is unequallod, as it can keep up a Bpeed of from 17 to 20 miles an hour. Patti an Angler, — Adelina Patti, the diva of p.ong, ia.a devoted disciple of laaak Walton. There is very good fishing in her estate in Wales, and in the right season it ia no unusual thing for Madame Patti to be eeon beating the water, attired in the neatest of blooraer costumes, for the greater convenience of gettJDg about on the rough bank* of the river._ Tho poor of the surrounding diatriot are delighted that Madams T?* ; ti is not going to give up tho oaßtle, as she if! very, very gocd to them. A Coitiosmr. — A venerable and remarkable trout ha 3 died recency at Cairnmount, near Kelso. His body was found in a covered Wl only a few feet, in depth. The tradition is th&t "some 1 32 yoars ago this fish was taken from the Twefd, planed in tho well, and ht\". lived there eve!" eincs. Its body was llin in length, and very thiu aud emaciated, we ; ghiug only 6nz, or Jess than a two yoar-oid trout reared under leas unfavourable circumßtanceß. Aa with all trout that live in semi- darkness, it was nearly black ia colour,